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"It is particularly worrying that so many teenage girls are resorting to violence, often fuelled by a binge-drinking "ladette" culture.

"We need to get tough on those who sell booze to kids and better educate our children about the dangers of alcohol."

Chris Grayling, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: "This is still further evidence of the need to review Labour's 24 hour licensing laws".

A total of 88,139 women and girls were arrested for violence against the person last year - the equivalent of 241 arrests a day.

It was up from 87,140 in 2006/07 and more than doubled the 37,100 arrested in 1999/00.

It was also the second year that violence was the main reason for female arrests, higher than the 77,400 arrested for theft offences.

Almost one in four were aged between ten and 17 sparking fears of a new generation of young violent "ladettes".

Women in the 18-20 age group saw an increase from 11,217 to 11,563 arrests last year as did those in the 21 and over category from 52,775 to 54,697.

Overall the number of women and girls arrested for all offences increased slightly from 251,569 to 251,910 despite falls in most other offence categories, emphasising further the growing trend of violence.

In contrast, arrests for violence among men and boys fell from 400,429 to 389,604.

Alcohol is blamed for around half the attacks.

Elaine Arnull, of London's South Bank University, warned last year how behaviour is changing with a "link between girls using alcohol and violence". It follows growing concerns that more girls are binge drinking, fuelling a "ladette" culture.

Overall some 1.47 million people were arrested last year, down slightly on the 1.48m in 2006/07.